Add Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard to the list of people who are unhappy with the new NBA All-Star Game voting format which will be implemented beginning this season where the center position will be removed from the ballot and replaced three “frontcourt” players instead.

The decision was made two weeks ago by NBA commissioner David Stern, and his brain trust, to do away with the center position on the All-Star Game ballot. The decision prompted myself to write this piece about the center position in the game of basketball and now Howard is sounding off with is displeasure.

Howard was recently asked about the league’s decision to remove the center position from the ballot. He said, “I don’t like it at all. We work just as hard as anybody else. I don’t think it’s fair to take away a position which has been here for life. You need a center on the court. So I don’t think it’s right. That’s like taking away a guard. That’s how I feel”.

Howard continued by saying “It’s been that way since they started All-Star Games, so why change it now? Because centers shoot three’s now? There are so many great guards an d great forwards that they just over shadow what these centers do. I feel like there are a lot of centers that can really play, but you got guys like LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant who are 6’8″, Kevin Durant is 6’11″, 6’10″, who shoot three’s. It just over shadows a lot of the bigs that can play”.

Howard is definitely on to something and I’m quite sure he is preaching to the choir with this argument. However, as we all know too well, once Dictator Stern has decided to do something, it’s done. No matter who doesn’t agree with the decision, or how ridiculous it may be.